Even though Irish dancing is to have been created for a sense of nationalism, it is said to have roots in the Druids who lived in Ireland and the Celts' folk dancing. Ireland is a land that is connected to its past and this is one way to honor and celebrate the past.
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Irish dancing is a performance. According to Sims and Stephens in Living Folklore: An Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions, state that a performance is "Performance is an expressive activity that requires participation, heightens our enjoyment of an experience, and invites response." (Sims and Stephens 2011, 131) Irish dancing performances and competitions would fall into those categories. They also stated that, "in order for a performance to happen, a recognized setting must exist (participants have to know a performance is taking place) and participants (performers and audience) must be present.)" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 131). The setting is the competition or performance, the participants are the performers and the audience.
Photo Credit: https://www.anythinklibraries.org/events/irish-dancing
Abstract
Irish dancing, also known as step dancing, is a part of Irish culture. It was created when Ireland declared independence from England in the 1920s. It was created to help give Ireland an identity and nationalism. Since then it has grown outside of Ireland to other countries like the United States and Australia. Irish dancing has also paved the way for Riverdance, a popular show that has taken Irish dancing global. Irish dancing is one of many folklore aspects and tradition in its culture.